Theory and Method in the Social Sciences - 1st semester
Code
711081055
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Sociologia
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Rui Santos
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
1. Knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of scientific research;
2. Understanding the relationship between theoretical arguments and empirical data;
3. Understanding of the basic differences and complementarities between the main strategies of sociological research (understanding / explanation; inductive / deductive; extensive / intensive);
4. Understanding key aspects of the theories of concept construction and concept measurement;
5. Ability to make scientific sense of concrete social situations using basic sociological concepts, taught at other curricular units;
6. Understanding and ability to apply the basic structure of a research plan;
7. Ability to transform elementary problems and sociological hypotheses into simple observation procedures;
8. Ability to communicate research procedures in an accurate and meaningful way.
Prerequisites
Not applicable
Subject matter
1. \"To treat social facts as things\": the scientific knowledge of social phenomena
1.1. Rupture, problematization and constructio of knowledge
1.2. Methodical doubt: falsifiability, demonstration and verification
1.3. Objectivation: explicit method and instrsubjective criticism
1.4. The goals of knowledge: to understand and to explain
1.5. Problems, theories and hypotheses
2. Research strategies and outlooks
2.1. Inductive and deductive
2.2. Intensive and extensive
2.3. Qualitative and quantitative
2.4. Understanding and explanatory
2.5. Basic, applied, and participatory
3. Theory, method, and research
3.1. The relatioships between theoretical and empirical constructions
3.1.1. Operacionalization and conceptualization: the construction of concepts and variables
3.1.2. Research planning as operacionalization
3.2. Typical phases in research and planning
3.2.1. Bibliographical research
3.2.2. Exploratory research and its deepening
3.2.3. Hypotheses-testing research
Bibliography
Boudon, R. [s.d.]. Os métodos em sociologia. Lisboa: Edições Rolim.
Durkheim, E. (2001/1894). As regras do método sociológico. Lisboa: Presença.
Gilbert, N. (ed.). (2008). Researching social life. London: Sage.
Guerra, I. C. (2006). Pesquisa qualitativa e análises de conteúdo: Sentidos e formas de uso. Cascais: Principia.
Popper, K. (1989). Em busca de um mundo melhor. Lisboa: Fragmentos.
Quivy, R., & Van Campenhoudt, L. (2016). Manual de investigação em ciências sociais. Lisboa: Gradiva.
Silva, A. S., & Pinto, J. M. (ed.). (1990). Metodologia das ciências sociais. Porto: Edições Afrontamento.
Weber, M. (1997/1924). Conceitos Sociológicos Fundamentais. Lisbon: Edições 70.
Teaching method
Theoretical classes (50%): lectures explaining the syllabus´s contents
Practical classes (50%): tutored work on the units´ readings and other support materials; exercises and tests for formative and summative evaluation.
Evaluation method
A. Tutored group work in class, for formative evaluation.
B. Four individual written exercises in class, for summative evaluation. The average of the grades of the four best exercises will make up 50% of the final grade.
C. Two written tests in class. The average of the grades in these tests will make up 50% of the final grade.